Series
JeffCo Commissioner Cautions About Travel Expenses
The commissioner's eye was drawn to a trip someone from the county compliance office will next month to the Compliance & Ethics Institute Conference in Las Vegas. That trip will cost $3,354.55.
With A Crowded Field For Mayor, Birmingham Voters Weigh In On City’s Future
Birmingham voters have until next week to send in absentee ballots, and Election Day is fast approaching on Aug. 24. On the ballot, they’ll find a long list of choices for mayor.
Vaccination Rates Are Ticking Up. Here’s Why Birmingham Residents Are Rolling Up Their Sleeves.
The delta variant and rising hospitalizations are among the reasons vaccine recipients cite.
Alabama Health Officials Say COVID-19 Vaccine Safe For Pregnant Women
The COVID-19 vaccines are safe for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or wanting to get pregnant, says health experts.
Birmingham Hospital Leaders: COVID Surge ‘Heartbreaking … And Largely Preventable’
Statewide hospitalizations for COVID-19 topped 1,700 Wednesday, fueled by the highly-contagious delta variant.
Schools Opening Short On Teachers Because Of An Increase In Retirements
Last school year, more than 3,500 school employees retired in Alabama. That's the highest number since 2010. Some credit the pandemic for the rise in retirement, while others say a growing unappreciation for school employees had caused these workers to leave the industry.
5 Things To Know About Alabama’s Back-To-School COVID Toolkit
The state's updated guidance for back-to-school has several school districts in the region changing their COVID-19 protocols.
Delta Strikes Birmingham Public Works, But Mayor Says The City Will Get To Your Trash
Your trash will be picked up, said Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin at a press conference Tuesday.
Birmingham Expands Hours At Vaccination Clinic, Offers New Incentive Amid COVID Surge
Anyone who visits Legion Field for a COVID-19 vaccine will receive a concert ticket to the Jazz Festival or the Battle of the Bands.
Birmingham Teachers Welcome Students Back To School Amid COVID Surge
School starts Monday in the Birmingham City Schools. Classes are in person but with COVID protocols in place.
Amid Delta Variant Surge, Some Call For Vaccine And Mask Mandates
While states have tried coaxing reluctant residents into getting the shot with incentives like lotteries, some businesses and health experts in the region say it’s time to start creating disincentives for avoiding the shot.
UAB Doc Predicts New Cases Of COVID Could Rocket To 13,000 A Day By The End Of August
New modeling shows that Alabama could reach a peak of 13,000 new cases per day by the end of August.
Gulf State Schools Had Mask Mandates Last Fall. That Isn’t The Case This Year.
The coronavirus pandemic’s fourth wave has not changed state-wide back-to-school plans in the Gulf South, where cases are rising and mask use is voluntary.
Jefferson County Commissioners Look For Ways To Stop Illegal Dumping
The amount of illegal dumping of trash in Jefferson County is "concerning," says county commissioners. They say more needs to be done to address the problem, which could include more stringent penalties.
More Extreme Weather In Gulf States Means More Power Outages. Are Energy Companies Ready For It?
The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season is likely to be as active as last year’s, when thousands in the Gulf South were without power for weeks after hurricanes Laura, Zeta, Cristobal and Delta. With that increased activity comes a bigger threat to the region’s power grid. How prepared are Gulf States’ energy companies for the threat to come?
Come Back With More Detail And We’ll Talk: Council Delays Plan For Rescue Money
Birmingham’s efforts to distribute millions of dollars of federal American Rescue Plan funding hit a snag Tuesday after councilors took issue with the vagueness of Mayor Randall Woodfin’s proposed allocations.
Birmingham Schools Will Require Masks After Shift In CDC Recommendations
Birmingham City Schools will once again require all students, faculty, staff and visitors to wear a face mask while in school facilities.
As The Clock Runs Out On $300 Unemployment Benefits, A New Orleans Waitress Is Left In Limbo
The tips Dora Whitfield earned at Harrah’s Casino covered her bills. But like a lot of workers, returning to work isn’t as simple as following the help wanted signs.
Birmingham Police Revise Policies To Disallow No-Knock Warrants
Birmingham police will no longer use no-knock warrants such as the one that led to the death of Breonna Taylor in Louisville last year.
Offering A Carrot Won’t Get People Vaccinated, Maybe It’s Time To Talk About The Stick, Health Official Tells Birmingham Council
One health professional says incentivizing vaccines is not working and that it may be time for businesses to start requiring it.
Alabama’s COVID New-Case Average Quintuples In 10 Days, As Health Officials Struggle To Get More People Vaccinated
Health officials in the region are sounding the alarm as COVID-19 cases continue to increase. Across the Gulf States, hospitalizations have reached levels not seen since the Spring.
No Place Like Home As Woodlawn High Breaks Ground For New, On-Campus Football Stadium
The new stadium is expected to be ready for the 2022 football season. It'll accommodate 2,800 spectators, and it will include an artificial turf athletic field, renovated field house and a stadium lighting and sound system.
“It’s Playing A Game With Us”: Researcher Says COVID Delta Variant Is Spreading In Alabama
New data shows the delta variant made up almost 71% of cases tested at one local lab in recent weeks.
Birmingham Recycling Kicked Up To Twice A Month, City Buys Refuse Equipment
Residents in the city of Birmingham will soon start having their recycling picked up twice a month. The city’s recycling program was temporarily halted by COVID-19 last April.
Birmingham Elections Ballot Set
After the qualifying deadline elapsed Friday, eight people were on the ballot to compete in the mayor’s race, trying to capture the seat now held by Mayor Randall Woodfin.
Its Future In Limbo, Limiting Telehealth In The Gulf South Could Be Troublesome For Rural Areas
Telehealth became a necessity for many people during the COVID-19 pandemic. But with state health emergencies expiring, laws that have made it more available could go away, leaving the region’s more rural areas hurting the most due to access barriers and disparities.
Counties At Very High Risk Of COVID Spread Quadruples In 2 Weeks
Roughly 26 of Alabama's counties are at a 'very high risk' for COVID-19, according to data from the state health department.
Business Exec, A Self-Proclaimed “Full-Throttle Conservative,” Enters Senate Race
A fourth candidate has joined the race for Alabama U.S. Senator Richard Shelby's seat.
With COVID Cases On The Rise, Health Officials Say They’re Seeing Last Year’s Pattern Repeat Itself
Health officials say Alabama may be headed toward an explosion in the number of COVID-19 cases thanks to the coronavirus delta and delta plus variant.
4 Things To Know About Birmingham’s Homicides So Far This Year
The city of Birmingham has recorded 64 homicides so far in 2021, according to data from the Jefferson County Coroner's Office. But what do we really know about the city's homicide victims? WBHM took a deeper dive into the data. Here's what we learned.
Birmingham Council Looking At Candidates To Fill Seats On Several Boards
Seats on several Birmingham boards and authorities will be up for grabs next month, including city council-appointed positions on the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority and the Birmingham Land Bank Authority.
What To Know About The Delta Plus COVID Variant: How Serious Is It? Will Vaccines Work?
Alabama has recorded multiple cases of the delta variant. Meanwhile, this week Louisiana identified its first case of the delta plus variant, a mutation of the delta variant.
